Thankful
by BensonsFaerieWings
Summary: Just a little one-shot of Liv enjoying Thanksgiving for once. Rated M just in case, because I always rate high just in case.


Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of SVU nor do I look to make any profit from this story. I merely have borrowed them for my own personal imaginary use. However, I do own Dylan.

Author's Note: Just a little one-shot of Liv enjoying Thanksgiving for once. Rated M just in case, because I always rate high just in case.

Thankful for the World

Olivia sat at her desk filling out the last of her paperwork when the Captain came out of his office. She was the only one in the office, as she had been the last one in after spending the early part of the day with Calvin.

"Munch missed his Thanksgiving buddy this morning," Cragen said taking a seat across from her in Elliot's chair.

Olivia chuckled and replied, "Aww was he lonely?"

Cragen let out a big laugh, "Yea, I actually think it was. It's always been the two of you running the day shift on Thanksgiving. This year he had to make due with Lake and a few rookies. He was rather pitful."

Olivia laughed boisterously as she imagined Munch moping around. "I think he will live, but I will bring Calvin by his place to see him later. That should cheer him up."

Cragen grinned back at her. "Good Thanksgiving this year Liv?"

She nodded sheepishly. "Definitely the best one on record." She said quietly.

"Yea she got laid and got a kid all in one year, and never gained an ounce! Bitch." Casey said mischievously as she joined them in the empty squad room.

Cragen and Olivia both shared a laugh. "Who you callin, a Bitch? Don't mess with my daughter and the guardian of my grandson. After all I am not going to stop her from kicking your ass." Cragen said rising to give Casey a hug. While they often bumped heads, she was much like a daughter to him as Olivia was.

"Hey, Case." Olivia said quietly looking up at her dear friend.

Cragen chose this moment to quietly blend into the background of his office and let the friends visit. He knew that there was a lot on the mind of his best detective, basically his daughter, but he also knew that it was best not to press the situation. These things would be revealed when the time came. Rather he would observe from the confines of his office, as he usually did.

"Hey, sweet stuff. Where's my pal?" Casey asked noting Olivia's somewhat quiet demeanor. She replaced Cragen in Elliot's chair.

"He's at home napping off the food coma from this morning with Kathleen. What are you doing here?" Olivia responded, her eyes lighting up at the names of the two men in her life.

"Did you enjoy Thanksgiving?"

Olivia smiled. "Yea it was quite the fiasco. A hundred calls to Kathy later and I finally had a cooked turkey and all the fixings. Needless to say I was not on time, but thankfully Munch and Cragen understood."

"Well, you didn't burn the place down. That's always a plus, right?" Casey asked trying to get her friend to cheer up a little or at least let her in on the secret.

Olivia looked around the squad room, as if taking everything in, and then slowly back to Casey. She couldn't stop the tears from forming in her eyes, but they would never fall. She tried to smile at Casey and nodded a yes.

Casey leaned across the desk, "Liv, what's wrong?"

"Absolutely nothing. That is the craziness of it all. My life has taken on a near perfect state and…" She said trailing off.

"And you are waiting for it to come crashing down, aren't you?" Casey finished for her.

Olivia looked back at her and merely nodded yes. She was extremely grateful for the chances she had been given in the past year. She had nearly lost her mind on several occasions during the year, but had somehow managed to come out of it alive and with the greatest gift anyone could have given her.

Casey got up and came over to her side of the desk and kneeled down next to her. "Liv, look at me. You survived more in your life, hell more in the past year, than most could ever imagine. You are a strong badass woman. You deserve all you have and then some."

"Thanks, Case." Olivia said looking at her friend. She then got up suddenly. "Listen, Case, I gotta talk to Cragen before he leaves for the night."

"Alright, well call if you need anything. Give my man, Calvin, a hug for me."

Olivia nodded distractedly at Casey and then walked up to Cragen's door before she lost her nerve. She knocked lightly, took a deep breath and then walked in, closing the door behind her. This was going to be hard, but with the events of recent months, she had decided that it needed to be done.

"Captain, got a minute?" Olivia asked as she took a seat across from him.

"Always for you, Liv. What's up?" he asked knowing that he knew the answer.

Olivia took a deep breath before she continued on. She looked to the ceiling and willed the tears that threatened not to fall. "I, um, have reached my 20 years…"

"Are you sure, Liv?" Don asked leaning closer to her.

She looked into his sweet face and saw the caring father, rather than her boss of the last 12 years. The love she had for the guys of her unit could not be measured, but that was especially true of Don Cragen. He had taken her under his wing, showed her the ropes, had her back whenever necessary, and always give her back the shit she dished out. He was everything that someone could ask for in a mentor. "No, I am not sure, but I feel it's the right thing to do, with Calvin and all. 36 hour work days just are not conducive to having a kid."

"We can work something out if need be, Liv. We always figure it out."

"I know, Don. But I don't want special treatment. And I don't ever want to lose my focus on the job." Olivia said.

"Liv, you are my best detective. You and I both know that rarely happens with you, and when it does we fix it. You won't ever put anyone at risk, and you always have put the squad and the vics before yourself. What are your fears?" He said settling back into his chair trying to find out what was really pushing this conversation with Olivia.

She had not really expected him to push her to really think about it, but now that she took a moment, it took mere seconds to realize what her fears boiled down to. "I am too thankful, Don." She said it simply, knowing that it needed an explanation, but she needed to gain her composure before she could continue. "This year was the first year I truly had something to be thankful for other than the confines of this job. I am so thankful that I have a chance with Calvin, and that I have been blessed, that I don't want to risk losing it. There is something that has truly given my life meaning. The job used to be enough, but in recent years, it has taken its toll. Now, it's like I am rejuvenated." She looked at him as one lone tear fell down her cheek and smiled.

He was smiling back at her, and chuckled lightly. "That's cause you are laughing again, Liv!" He said both being serious and trying to lighten the mood. "Seriously, Liv, you are laughing more. You actually wind down at night, so when you come in you are refreshed. It's making you an even better, Detective than you were before. As for the risks of the job, with that you just have to trust us to have your back, and you know if you want to go home early from time to time, do it. I mean, if retiring is really what you need to do, I understand, but honestly, I really think that you have truly come even more into your own on the job."

Olivia's mouth dropped open a little. She definitely did not expect the response that she had received from him, but she was grateful for it. "You really think so?" She asked quietly, for the first time ever, slightly unsure of her own abilities. Put her up against the scum of the universe and she ruled the world, but put her up against her own thoughts and she held no ground.

"Liv, when have I ever not been straight with you? The squad gets that you are a Mom now, so we have your back, and anyone who doesn't can transfer on out. That's the end of it, as far as I am concerned." Don said with a finality to his voice.

"Well, then I guess I won't be going anywhere for awhile, huh?" Liv breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that she had been able to work it out so that she could work the job she loved dearly, that defined her life for years, and also raise a child that had become dear to her over the past few months.

"Good, now do me favor and wipe that panicked look off your partners face before he has a heart attack." Don said gesturing to the squad room, where Elliot was standing looking into the office.

Olivia got up and walked around and gave Cragen a hug, which was not like them, but felt appropriate in this moment. "Thank you, Don."

"Anytime, Liv." He said hugging her back. She walked to the door, and just as she was about to open, he said, "Give him hell for me."

Olivia snickered and nodded to him.

She walked back to her desk, and greeted Elliot, "Problem, El?"

He spun on his heel and looked at her. "Why were you meeting with Cragen?"

"Oh, that, I retired." She said nonchalantly grabbing her things to get ready to leave.

"YOU WHAT?" He exclaimed.

"Yea, I retired. I have a kid now, I have to deal with that." She said calmly as she put on her jacket.

"YOU WHAT?" He exclaimed again.

"Really is it that big of a shock?" She said with mock surprise.

"He's not going to stop you?" He said pointing at Cragen's office.

"Apparently not. Considering I just finished the paperwork. Listen, I have to get home, but my last day is in 2 weeks." She said as she put the final knot her in scarf and grabbed her purse. She turned on her heel and started to walk out of the squad room barely keeping her laughter in as she saw him stalk towards Cragen's office.

She quickly hit the elevator button, praying it would come before he came out of Cragen's office. Thankfully it arrived rapidly and just as the doors began to shut, she heard Elliot's voice ring out, "OLIVIA BENSON!"

She laughed aloud to herself and said, "I am thankful for so much in my life this year."

~Fin~


End file.
